


Opportunity Knocked - You Didn't Answer

by fallenangel218



Category: NCIS
Genre: Angst, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 10:04:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2384318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenangel218/pseuds/fallenangel218
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim bumps into an old flame on a late night grocery run, and thinks about what his life could have been, had he not left her so many years ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Opportunity Knocked - You Didn't Answer

The drive home was a quiet one. As much as he hated leaving the office so late, Tim enjoyed the peacefulness of driving home at 2 a.m. There was no rush hour traffic to weave through, no people running across the street in front of his car, and no chance of Gibbs calling his cell phone to find out where the hell he was. 

Peaceful. 

He took his exit off the Beltway, and headed toward his neighborhood. Before he came upon his street, he decided he should stop off at the 24-hour grocery to pick up a few items. They were in the middle of a case, and he knew he wouldn't get the chance to really go shopping for another week. 

He pulled into the 7-Eleven near his apartment and went inside. He took a deep breath as the air conditioner instantly cooled him from the stagnant summer night. He picked up a carton of milk, some cereal and bread, and made his way to the counter. He looked up at the cashier as he set his items down, and found himself staring at a face he hadn't seen in years. 

"Leslie?" 

The woman behind the counter scanned his items, ignoring him. 

"That'll be $10.25, please." 

Tim took his wallet from the inside pocket of his sport coat and slid his card. He decided to try again. 

"Leslie Camden?" 

She glared at him this time. 

"Who wants to know?" 

"You don't remember me?" 

"Should I?" 

"It's Tim McGee, from Johns Hopkins." 

Leslie stood there in thought for a moment, until realization washed over her. 

"It's been a long time," she finally said. "How have you been?" 

"I'm doing well. I'm working for NCIS now." 

"You always wanted that. Good for you, Tim." 

Tim wanted to avoid the question, but he couldn't help himself. He had to know. 

"What's been happening with you?" 

"Obviously not much. Look where I ended up," she said, indicating the store around her. 

"You were so excited about going for your PhD." 

"I never finished school." 

"Why?" 

"What is this, twenty questions? Why should I tell you anything?" 

"Fine," Tim said, picking up his shopping bags and heading toward the door. "Have a good night." 

"Okay, wait." 

Tim stopped and turned around. 

"I never finished school because I got pregnant." 

Tim came back to the counter and set down his bags. 

"Say again?" 

"It was _after_ you dumped me, so you can relax." 

"Whoa, listen... I didn't _dump_ you... I got a job offer in DC and I took it." 

"You dumped me for your career. I learned to accept it, after a while. I mean, you and me... we were something... we were... in love. Completely and totally in love." 

"We were young," Tim said gently, reaching a hand across the counter. He gently put his hand on top of hers. She was trembling. 

"Young and stupid isn't an excuse for breaking off a two-year relationship," Leslie said. "Don’t you ever wonder what would have happened, had we stayed together?" 

Tim hesitated, and Leslie took the silent moment as his response. 

"You haven't, have you?" 

"I uh--" 

She tore a receipt from the feed and shoved it into his shopping bag. 

"Take your groceries and leave. Have a good night." 

Tim picked up his bags and left the store. He glanced through the window as he put his groceries into the passenger side of the car. He could see tears streaming down Leslie's face. As much as he wanted to go back into that store and pull her into his arms, he knew it wouldn't do any good right now. 

He drove the rest of the way home in silence, thinking of Leslie. How could he have forgotten her? Who forgets someone they dated for two years? 

_Someone who's a complete jerk, that's who._

He turned off the car and sat there, staring at his apartment building. What would his life have been like, had he stayed with Leslie? Would he still be at NCIS? Would they have gotten married? Would he have a family of his own? Would his life be totally different than it is right now? 

He remembered the day he left... she was crying as they said goodbye at her dorm. He kissed her and told her he'd write, that they could try having a long distance relationship, although he knew in his heart that they'd write for a while, and then they'd grow apart. 

Why didn't he just write to her like he'd promised? Would she have made the choices she had? Would she have finished school, gotten her PhD like she'd so often talked about? Would she have a great career, instead of working nights at a 7-Eleven? 

What if Leslie Camden was the love of his life, and he let her go? 

Rapping on his window brought him out of his thoughts. A police officer was standing outside his window. 

"Everything all right, son?" he asked. 

"Yeah, I'm sorry, officer. I live here. I was just, thinking." 

"Okay, just checking. Take care." 

"Good night." 

The officer continued on down the sidewalk, and Tim reached over for his grocery bags. He got out of the car and walked into his apartment building. Alone. 

**END**


End file.
